Airbus Sponsors Electric Air Racing Series

TOULOUSE, France—Inspired by auto racing’s popular Formula E series, Air Race E plans to hold its first series of competitions in 2020 in partnership with Airbus. The competition aims to drive the development and adoption of cleaner, faster and more technologically advanced electric engines that can be applied to urban air mobility vehicles and, eventually, commercial aircraft.

Eight electric-powered airplanes will race directly against each other on a tight 3-mile circuit only 33 feet above the ground.

“We want to motivate manufacturers to showcase their technologies across the full spectrum of electric propulsion systems and components,” says Grazia Vittadini, chief technology officer at Airbus. “This partnership enables us to demonstrate our commitment to staying at the leading edge of electric propulsion and developing a new ecosystem.”

Engineers at the University of Nottingham are currently developing a prototype race airplane powered by an integrated electric motor, battery and power electronics system. The plane will help shape the model and rules for the inaugural Air Race E race in 2020.

The ASSEMBLY Show South

ASSEMBLY is thrilled to return to the Music City Center in Nashville, TN for The ASSEMBLY Show SOUTH on May 1-2, 2024. This is a booming time for manufacturing and the U.S. South is right in the heart of the action. According to ASSEMBLY’s most recent annual capital spending survey, the South is projected to account for 31 percent of total spending this year, marking the fifth straight year this region has accounted for at least 30 percent of capital spending in the U.S.

In this session, manufacturers will learn how Quality function deployment (QFD) can transform consumers’ qualitative demands into quantitative parameters that will shape the design of their product and, ultimately, their manufacturing process.

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